AN autumn international series against France and Wales is no substitute for facing Australia and New Zealand; the City of Salford Stadium will never compare to Old Trafford.

But with the World Cup final due to be staged five miles away at Manchester United’s ground in just over a year’s time, a vibrant young England side is emerging.

We will know how good they really are on October 26 next year.

That is the date of England’s World Cup opener against Australia at Cardiff’s Millennium Stadium.

Last night’s final win in front of a crowd of 7,921 at least gave Steve McNamara’s men a taste for silverware.

They cruised predictably to their third straight victory of the triangular tournament after dispatching the French with

consummate ease, as they had the previous week at Hull KR.

McNamara said: “Part of the job of a rugby league player is to physically beat up the opposition.

France had the final say in the dying embers when winger Mathias Pala touched down

"These guys do that to each other for 27 rounds during the season.

“But these players are very close; they’re friends, despite being from different clubs. That’s the culture we’re trying to build.

“We’re not Australia, we’re not New Zealand, and we know we’ve got some catching up to do.

“We’ve got to find a way of doing that and I’m not saying what we’re doing is going to guarantee us success. I won’t do that. But what we’re doing now will guarantee us the best opportunity of being successful next year.”

McNamara has options in pretty much every position and at least two genuinely world-class players in Sam Tomkins and Ryan Hall. Wigan full-back Tomkins, 23, illustrated his awesome ability by creating two tries and scoring

twice, while Hall showed why he is nicknamed WBW (world’s best winger) by his Leeds team-mates with a predatory four-try haul.

Not too far behind them was Rangi Chase, the controversial New Zealand-born playmaker who made a pivotal contribution in his first appearance for two months.

With several NRL-based players still to come back into contention, McNamara can dare to dream that maybe, just maybe, England are ready for world domination again.

It was 40 years ago yesterday, and in the guise of Great Britain, that the national side were last crowned world champions.

They drew with Australia in the 1972 final in France but lifted the trophy by virtue of a better position in the table.

After a minute’s silence to honour the passing of former Wigan hooker and Daily Express columnist Joe Egan, England slowly but surely took France to the cleaners.

It was the speed and skill of their handling which most impressed as hooker Michael McIlorum dovetailed effectively

with Kevin Sinfield and Chase.

England led in the eighth minute when smart handling culminated in Tomkins ushering Hall over the line in the left corner.

Skipper Sinfield added the first of his eight goals from as many attempts, but France steadied themselves and fashioned an initially impressive response.

That was before England hit them with a vicious sucker-punch in the 24th minute.

Tomkins took Sinfield’s pass and sold a delightful dummy before scampering over from close range.

Three minutes later, Sinfield and Chase combined effectively to find Sean O’Loughlin, whose exquisite long pass sent Hall plunging over in the left corner.

Sinfield and Gareth Ellis soon combined to supply Josh Charnley for England’s fourth try in the 44th minute and moments later Chase sent Hall in for his third.

McNamara’s men began to cut loose and Tomkins grabbed a carbon copy of his first try with another smart score before Hall took his tally to four and Rob Burrow raced clear for England’s eighth try.

France had the final say in the dying embers when winger Mathias Pala touched down.

But it is England who will head into a World Cup year with self-belief coursing through their veins.